Officials in Hampton are threatening to take more than 70 residents to court if they don't register their dogs with the town.

Hampton Town Manager Fred Welch said the registration effort is part of the town's push to prevent the spread of rabies, and he said people not registering their dogs is a public safety issue. Hampton is trying to capture at least one wild fox that's suspected of having rabies.

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"You need to register your dogs," Welch said. "We make sure they're vaccinated and the state makes sure they're vaccinated for rabies. That's what the state law is all about."

In past years, the town of Hampton has put the names of residents who have been delinquent in registering their dogs with the town on a cable TV public access channel.

"They've published them in the paper, I believe, once before, and they've threatened to seize the 300 dogs that weren't registered before," Welch said.

But now, the town is threatening to take more than 70 Hampton residents to court if they don't register their dogs immediately.

"Well, they're on their last notice, and once that's served, if they do not do anything immediately, they'll be summoned to court," Welch said.

Hampton officials said the 73 delinquent dog owners who have failed to register their dogs this year have already received letters in the mail and phone calls from police. Welch said dog owners can come in with proof their dog has been vaccinated for rabies and pay about $50 or $60 or wait and be summoned to court.

"State law requires you to register your dog," he said. "You can do it for $9 on the average before the beginning of May, or you can late in the year go to court and spend over $100 to register the same dog."